DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 have been considered for patentability.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1 and 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Linblad et al. (US Publication 2013/0200240) in view of Moscovitch (US Patent 5,687,939).
In re Claim 1, Linblad discloses an adjustment assembly for a display unit (908, Figure 9C), the adjustment assembly comprising: a first coupling plate (902, Figure 9C) coupled with a support structure (paragraph 0044); a second coupling plate (910, Figure 9A) coupled with the display unit; and a hinge 904 rotatably coupling the first coupling plate with the second coupling plate such that the second coupling plate is configured to rotate about a first axis 940 to adjust an orientation of the display unit in a first direction (Figures 9A-9D); wherein the second coupling plate (910) is coupled with a hinge member (906) of the hinge such that the second coupling plate is configured to rotate about a second axis 942 to adjust an orientation of the display unit in a second direction.
Linblad does not explicitly disclose wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis. However, providing such was not new in the art. For example, Moscovitch discloses a second coupling plate (18, Figure 7) coupled with a hinge member (38), wherein the axis of rotation goes through the display (14, 16). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting at a time before the effective filing date to have provided an axis of rotation like that disclosed in Moscovitch with the apparatus as otherwise disclosed in Linblad to provide a greater degree of freedom in viewing orientations of the display. Providing a second axis of rotation perpendicular to a first axis of rotation in a direction as disclosed in Moscovitch allows for the display to transition between a landscape and portrait orientation.
In re Claim 4, Linblad discloses wherein the hinge member (906) is a second hinge member (Figure 9C), the hinge further comprising a first hinge member (920, 922), wherein the second hinge member (906) is fixedly coupled with the second coupling plate (910) and the first hinge member (920, 922) is fixedly coupled with the first coupling plate (902, Figures 9A-9C), the first hinge member (920, 922) and the second hinge member (906) pivotally coupled with each other at the first axis (940).
In re Claim 5, Lindblad discloses wherein the adjustment assembly comprises an alignment pin (336, Figure 7) that is threadingly coupled with the first hinge member (922, Figure 9D), an end of the alignment pin configured to engage a portion (386) of the second hinge member (924), the alignment pin adjustable to set a position of the second hinge member relative to the first hinge member about the first axis (Lindblad, paragraphs 0041-0042).
In re Claim 6, Moscovitch discloses wherein the second coupling plate (18, Figure 7) is transitionable between a plurality of angular positions about the second axis (See Figure 7 and associated description), the second coupling plate coupled with the hinge member through a bearing (38), wherein the second coupling plate comprises a pin (40, 42), the pin configured to be received within an opening of the second coupling plate and corresponding openings (44) of the hinge member to lock the second coupling plate at the plurality of angular positions about the second axis.
In re Claim 7, Lindblad discloses wherein the display unit 908 is configured to be adjusted about the first axis 940 across a span of 90 degrees and about the second axis 942 across a span of 90 degrees (See Figures 9A-9C). Moscovitch also discloses wherein a display unit 14, 16 rotates about a second axis (Figure 7) across a span of 90 degrees.
In re Claim 8, Lindblad discloses wherein the adjustment assembly is capable of supporting a display unit 908 having a weight over 200 pounds. Lindblad, paragraphs 0003, 0007, 0042, 0047-0049.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Linblad et al. (US Publication 2013/0200240), Moscovitch (US Patent 5,687,939) and further in view of “Screw Jack Platform”, LiftingMotion by Noudun, https://www.jack-actuator.com/screw-jack/screw-jack-platform/ (01/18/2021) (hereinafter NPL).
In re Claim 2, Lindblad as modified by Moscovitch discloses the limitations as noted above but does not disclose a drive apparatus. However, the use of a drive apparatus to tilt a coupling plate was not new in the art. For example, NPL discloses an adjustment assembly comprising a drive apparatus (screw jack, See Figure below) coupled with a first coupling plate (See Figure below) and a second coupling plate (See Figure below), the drive apparatus configured to receive an input (manual adjustments described on website and in other figures) and cause a shaft to extend or retract to drive rotation of the second coupling plate about the first axis. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting to have provided a drive apparatus, as disclosed in NPL, with the apparatus as otherwise disclosed in Lindblad and in replacement of the torque adjustment mechanism 380 in Lindblad, to provide a more convenient way for a user to control the rotation angle of the second coupling plate while also making the assembly more rugged. Lindblad does suggest that manual adjustments to the second coupling plate are needed to accommodate varying display weights and mounting distances. Lindblad, paragraphs 0041-0042. The use of a screw jack would allow a user to fine tune the rotation of a coupling plate while keeping the coupling plate steady.
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In re Claim 3, NPL discloses wherein the drive apparatus comprises a jack (See Figure above) configured to receive the input as a manual torque input (note wheel in other figures for manual screw jack operations) and drive extension of the shaft to cause the second coupling plate to rotate about the first axis.
Claim(s) 9 and 12-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Linblad et al. (US Publication 2013/0200240), Lu et al. (US Publication 2015/0009647) and further in view of Moscovitch (US Patent 5,687,939).
In re Claim 9, Linblad discloses a display system, comprising: a support structure (paragraph 0044); a display unit (908, Figure 9C); and an adjustment assembly for the display unit, the adjustment assembly comprising: a first coupling plate (902, Figure 9C) coupled with the support structure; a second coupling plate (910, Figure 9A) coupled with the display unit (908, Figure 9C); and a hinge (904) rotatably coupling the first coupling plate with the second coupling plate such that the second coupling plate is configured to rotate about a first axis 940 to adjust an orientation of the display unit in a first direction; wherein the second coupling plate 910 is rotatably coupled with a hinge member (906, Figure 9C) of the hinge such that the second coupling plate is configured to rotate about a second axis 942 to adjust an orientation of the display unit in a second direction.
Linblad does not explicitly disclose a truss structure. However, Lu discloses a truss structure (20, Figure 1) for supporting a first coupling plate 30 and a second coupling plate 12 supporting a display unit 10. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting to have provided a truss structure, as disclosed in Lu, for a support for a first coupling plate as otherwise disclosed in Linblad to provide a means for adequately holding a display above a surface while keeping the display system structurally sound.
Linblad does not explicitly disclose wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis. However, providing such was not new in the art. For example, Moscovitch discloses a second coupling plate (18, Figure 7) coupled with a hinge member (38), wherein the axis of rotation goes through the display (14, 16) (and therefore would be perpendicular to the first axis as disclosed in Linblad). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting at a time before the effective filing date to have provided an axis of rotation like that disclosed in Moscovitch with the apparatus as otherwise disclosed in Linblad to provide a greater degree of freedom in viewing orientations of the display. Providing a second axis of rotation perpendicular to a first axis of rotation in a direction as disclosed in Moscovitch allows for the display to transition between a landscape and portrait orientation.
In re Claim 12, Linblad discloses wherein the hinge member (906) is a second hinge member (Figure 9C), the hinge further comprising a first hinge member (920, 922), wherein the second hinge member (906) is fixedly coupled with the second coupling plate (910) and the first hinge member (920, 922) is fixedly coupled with the first coupling plate (902, Figures 9A-9C), the first hinge member (920, 922) and the second hinge member (906) pivotally coupled with each other at the first axis (940).
In re Claim 13, Lindblad discloses wherein the adjustment assembly comprises an alignment pin (336, Figure 7) that is threadingly coupled with the first hinge member (922, Figure 9D), an end of the alignment pin configured to engage a portion (386) of the second hinge member (924), the alignment pin adjustable to set a position of the second hinge member relative to the first hinge member about the first axis (Lindblad, paragraphs 0041-0042).
In re Claim 14, Moscovitch discloses wherein the second coupling plate (18, Figure 7) is transitionable between a plurality of angular positions about the second axis (See Figure 7 and associated description), the second coupling plate coupled with the hinge member through a bearing (38), wherein the second coupling plate comprises a pin (40, 42), the pin configured to be received within an opening of the second coupling plate and corresponding openings (44) of the hinge member to lock the second coupling plate at the plurality of angular positions about the second axis.
In re Claim 15, Lindblad discloses wherein the display unit 908 is configured to be adjusted about the first axis 940 across a span of 90 degrees and about the second axis 942 across a span of 90 degrees (See Figures 9A-9C). Moscovitch also discloses wherein a display unit 14, 16 rotates about a second axis (Figure 7) across a span of 90 degrees.
In re Claim 16, Lindblad discloses wherein the adjustment assembly is capable of supporting a display unit 908 having a weight over 200 pounds. Lindblad, paragraphs 0003, 0007, 0042, 0047-0049.
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Linblad et al. (US Publication 2013/0200240), Lu et al. (US Publication 2015/0009647), Moscovitch (US Patent 5,687,939) and still further in view of “Screw Jack Platform”, LiftingMotion by Noudun, https://www.jack-actuator.com/screw-jack/screw-jack-platform/ (01/18/2021) (hereinafter NPL).
In re Claim 10, Lindblad as modified by Lu and Moscovitch discloses the limitations as noted above but does not disclose a drive apparatus. However, the use of a drive apparatus to tilt a coupling plate was not new in the art. For example, NPL discloses an adjustment assembly comprising a drive apparatus (screw jack, See Figure below) coupled with a first coupling plate (See Figure below) and a second coupling plate (See Figure below), the drive apparatus configured to receive an input (manual adjustments described on website and in other figures) and cause a shaft to extend or retract to drive rotation of the second coupling plate about the first axis. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting to have provided a drive apparatus, as disclosed in NPL, with the apparatus as otherwise disclosed in Lindblad and in replacement of the torque adjustment mechanism 380 in Lindblad, to provide a more convenient way for a user to control the rotation angle of the second coupling plate while also making the assembly more rugged. Lindblad does suggest that manual adjustments to the second coupling plate are needed to accommodate varying display weights and mounting distances. Lindblad, paragraphs 0041-0042. The use of a screw jack would allow a user to fine tune the rotation of a coupling plate while keeping the coupling plate steady.
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In re Claim 11, NPL discloses wherein the drive apparatus comprises a jack (See Figure above) configured to receive the input as a manual torque input (note wheel in other figures for manual screw jack operations) and drive extension of the shaft to cause the second coupling plate to rotate about the first axis.
Claim(s) 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Linblad et al. (US Publication 2013/0200240), Lu et al. (US Publication 2015/0009647), “Screw Jack Platform”, LiftingMotion by Noudun, https://www.jack-actuator.com/screw-jack/screw-jack-platform/ (01/18/2021) (hereinafter NPL) and still further in view of Moscovitch (US Patent 5,687,939).
In re Claim 17, Lindblad discloses a structural assembly, comprising: a first coupling plate (902, Figure 9C) fixed to a support structure (paragraph 0044); a second coupling plate (910, Figure 9A) coupled with a display unit (908, Figure 9C); a hinge (904) comprising a first hinge member (922, Figures 9A-9C) coupled with the first coupling plate and a second hinge member (924) coupled with the second coupling plate, the hinge defining a first axis (940) about which the second coupling plate and the second hinge member are rotatable to re-orient the display unit about the first axis (Figures 9B-9C); wherein the second coupling plate (910) is rotatably coupled with the second hinge member (924) through a hinge 906 such that the second coupling plate is configured to rotate relative to the second hinge member about a second axis 942.
Linblad does not explicitly disclose a truss structure. However, Lu discloses a truss structure (20, Figure 1) for supporting a first coupling plate 30 and a second coupling plate 12 supporting a display unit 10. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting to have provided a truss structure, as disclosed in Lu, for a support for a first coupling plate as otherwise disclosed in Linblad to provide a means for adequately holding a display above a surface while keeping the display system structurally sound.
Lindblad does not explicitly disclose a screw jack. However, the use of a screw jack to tilt a coupling plate was not new in the art. For example, NPL discloses a screw jack (See Figure below) coupled with a first coupling plate (See Figure below) and a second coupling plate (See Figure below), the screw jack configured to receive a user input (manual adjustments described on website and in other figures) and drive rotation of the second coupling plate and a second hinge member (See Figure below) about a first axis. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting to have provided a screw jack, as disclosed in NPL, with the apparatus as otherwise disclosed in Lindblad, to provide a more convenient way for a user to control the rotation angle of the second coupling plate while also making the assembly more rugged. Lindblad does suggest that manual adjustments to the second coupling plate are needed to accommodate varying display weights and mounting distances. Lindblad, paragraphs 0041-0042. The use of a screw jack would allow a user to fine tune the rotation of a coupling plate while keeping the coupling plate steady.
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Linblad does not explicitly disclose wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis. However, providing such was not new in the art. For example, Moscovitch discloses a second coupling plate (18, Figure 7) coupled with a bearing (38), wherein the axis of rotation goes through the display (14, 16) (and therefore would be perpendicular to the first axis as disclosed in Linblad). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of device mounting at a time before the effective filing date to have provided an axis of rotation like that disclosed in Moscovitch with the apparatus as otherwise disclosed in Linblad to provide a greater degree of freedom in viewing orientations of the display. Providing a second axis of rotation perpendicular to a first axis of rotation in a direction as disclosed in Moscovitch allows for the display to transition between a landscape and portrait orientation.
In re Claim 18, Moscovitch discloses wherein the second coupling plate (18, Figure 7) is transitionable between a plurality of angular positions about the second axis (See Figure 7 and associated description), the second coupling plate coupled with the hinge member through a bearing (38), wherein the second coupling plate comprises a pin (40, 42), the pin configured to be received within an opening of the second coupling plate and corresponding openings (44) of the hinge member to lock the second coupling plate at the plurality of angular positions about the second axis.
In re Claim 19, Lindblad discloses wherein the adjustment assembly comprises an alignment pin (336, Figure 7) that is threadingly coupled with the first hinge member (922, Figure 9D), an end of the alignment pin configured to engage a portion (386) of the second hinge member (924), the alignment pin adjustable to set a position of the second hinge member relative to the first hinge member about the first axis (Lindblad, paragraphs 0041-0042).
In re Claim 20, Moscovitch does not explicitly disclose a lever (or handle) for facilitating rotation of the second coupling plate. However, the office takes official notice that providing a lever or a handle to allow a user to more easily grasp and control the second coupling plate was known at a time before the effective filing date and would have been an obvious modification to Moscovitch to a person having ordinary skill in the art. The addition of a lever or handle would make the device more ergonomic allowing a user to easily adjust the viewing orientation of the display (e.g., between landscape and portrait views).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Adrian S Wilson whose telephone number is (571)270-3907. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
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/ADRIAN S WILSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841